North Korea's latest attempt to fire a powerful mid-range missile appears to have ended in an embarrassing failure. The projectile reportedly exploded soon after lift-off, according to officials in the South and the U.S. The launch attempt was made near an airport in North Pyongan province shortly after mid-day on Saturday. It is believed to have been a ballistic Musudan which North Korea has now test-fired seven times, with one part success.

We strongly condemn this and North Korea's other recent missile tests, which violate UN Security Council Resolutions explicitly prohibiting North Korea's launches using ballistic missile technology

Pentagon spokesman Commander Gary Ross

North Korea has claimed technical breakthroughs in its goal of developing a long-range nuclear missile capable of reaching the U.S. Although observers say this is unlikely, the U.S. has agreed to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system to South Korea. After the latest apparent test launch, Pentagon spokesman Commander Gary Ross said: "Our commitment to the defence of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, is ironclad. We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies from any attack or provocation."

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea(DPRK), is a country in East Asia, in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. Pyongyang is both the nation's capital as well as its largest city, with a population just over 2.5 million.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hasn’t been seen in nearly a week. He skipped an event Tuesday that paid tribute to his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, North Korea's Supreme Leader for 46 years, fueling speculation about his potential whereabouts.